The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1887-03-02

are in favor of all really restrict.
i've laws. The High License Law
is not restrictive law. AS DR..
Herrick johnson, of Chicago, who
has watched its workings in that
city declares, 'It is a delusion and
fraud" AS Hon. John Finch.
of Nebraska, who was the author of
the famous one Thousand dollar
High License law of that State,
declares, at aggrsvates all the
worst evils of the liquor traffic. 1t
was the greatest mistake of my life. !"
1t entrenches the foul business
behind the cupidity of the tax
payer; it forces it more than ever
into politics, for its financial and
political interests are greater; it
drives the weaker saloon keepers
under the financial protection of
the huge distillery and brewery
monopolies. The invariable ten
dency wherever High License has
been tried, in Kansas City,in Oma-
ha, and in Chicago, has been to
add to the saloon those vile con
comitants," which, DR., Crosby
says, makes the saloon ian evil,
and evil only, and an evil contin-
ually," until it has become q
proverb in Omaha: "Under low
license the saloon keeper said:
Give. me your son." under the
one thousand dollar High License,
he says, Give me your daughter,
also.'"
We oppose the Crosby bill be-
cause it is not restriction. 1t is
a blunder, a monumental blunder.
We will oppose High License as
long as God gives us breath.
"But why" says one, eff High
License does not decrease liquor
selling, did the liquor men meet
in Steinway Hall, the other eve
ming to oppose this bill?" They
oppose it chiefly because it will
increase the brewers and distil-
lers' grip upon them as it has in
Kansas City, in Omaha, in Lin
coin, Nebraska, and even now 60
per cent. of all the saloons of this
city are in financial vassalage to
the manufacturer; and so are rs
per cent. of those in High License
Chicago. The brewers and distil-
lers are not fighting this bill, ex-
cept to make believe. The rich
saloon keepers are not fighting it.
Stokes, the owner of that gorgeous
saloon at the Hoffman House, says
he wishes the license was made
100000.
Let US learn from the West
Commercially the Mississippi riv-
er EN- pties into the Hudson, and
the West can also give US wisdom
In many of the large cities of the
West, High License has been tried
now for years; and, 1 sJeak advis-
eddy, in every city in which it
has been tried it has resulted dis
astrously. 1t has not been . harm
less experiment, but a striking at
nothing and hitting it; a starting
for nowhere and getting there. 1t
has been starting for Heaven and
plunging into Perdition.
DR.. Crosby is an honest man.
But l am at loss to explain, l
cannot explain, how he can say in
the teeth Of the most contrary
facts, that Prohibitionists oppose
all measures against the liquor
evil, that stop short of total abo-
lition." | wish to make the truth
now so clear that if anyone shall
make that statement hereafter he
will tell deliberate lie. DR.. Cros-
by will never make that state
ment again. Of that l am sure.
Should bill be introduced into the
Legislature at Albany which
would outlaw every saloon in New
York City, beyond one to every
500 inhabitants, ia there Prohi-
bitionist here who would oppose
that bill2 If so, let him raise his
hand. Let all Prohibitionists in
this vast audience who would IA
vor that bill raise their right
hands. The vote is unanimous.
Il